Because
"Mystic Maya, why are you crying?"
And she touches her cheeks, caught by surprise, for she had no idea at all. She is startled to find them wet, in this sated, sleepy corner of the night.
Why am I crying?
She looks around, but must stop right away. No answer is to be found in the friendly faces all around the table. She feels as if her eyes could break that harmony, so balanced, so peaceful, and earned at such a cost.
Because I am here.
She won't alarm anyone – oh no, she won't. They have all had enough for a lifetime. She can stay silent, give her biggest smile, and tentatively start to hold Pearl's hand in hers.
Because you are here.
High was the price she paid. But so is the value of what she got in return. All she has to do is raise her head, still collected and quiet in the plush dining chair. Nothing more, and she finds everything – those few people, their few words, are truly the most she could ask of life. And to think that humans kill for so much less. The idea makes her dizzy.
Because I am alive.
She squeezes Pearl's small body in her arms, and gestures to keep quiet. No more alarm in the eyes of her loved ones. No more traces of pain. For them all, the time has come to heal. And maybe, all things considered, she deserves to as well.
"Because I'm happy."